About Therapy
WHOLISTIC THERAPIES
In musical terms, most people seem to think of themselves as a solo act; Voice Dialogue sees you as a symphony.
Right now, you may think of yourself as just "you," and that having more than one personality means being seriously disturbed. Somewhere in between these two extremes lies the truth of who you are. While you are just one personality, that is not all that you are. You also have many subpersonalities, or selves. Each of these selves is a unique way of experiencing life.
You may not think of things in this way. It may feel more like impulses, some that you welcome, and others that you wish would go away never to return. In our case example, Sharon has one impulse, or self, to be shy and quiet; another one that criticizes her for being too shy; another one that yearns for more expression; another one that wants to go out on dates; along with many others.
Some parts of her may wish to do away with the shy self, believing that the shy self is somehow a defective part of her. However, this is always a case of throwing the baby out with the bath water. Each self has a gift for us; and the way to experience that gift is by learning to understand these oftentimes subconscious forces.
That is where Voice Dialogue comes in. With Voice Dialogue, Sharon would learn to separate out these different impulses, which are often competing for her attention. She would begin by talking about the different issues in her life. The therapist notices which selves seem present, and which ones would like to be present, but are somehow not getting a voice. Sharon is then instructed to move to a different place in the room, so that she can hear from these different selves as individual realities. In doing so, Sharon begins to truly learn about her self, by learning about her selves.
It's similar to having many people trying to talk to you at the same time; and then your telling everyone that each will get their turn. You then begin the process of listening to each person, and understanding their unique viewpoint. In doing so, you're much more able to meet the needs of the different people present, and come up with more effective solutions. You start to realize the strengths of each one present, and how to best work together.
Earlier, I mentioned the image of a symphony. The goal of Voice Dialogue is to learn about the different musicians (selves), and to create an inner conductor (what is called the Aware Ego). This inner conductor, which is non-judgemental in nature, is able to embrace the reality of each self. As a result, each self feels valued and brings forth their unique gift.
All who want to
reclaim their true identity and find their soul's purpose must undertake
a deep journey.
There are specific archetypal stages in this transformational journey.
These stages are not linear. They can be fluid, overlapping and sometimes
fold back on themselves. The step between each stage is a choice to remain
where one is comfortable or to open to an new, larger complexity in life.
The Ten Stages of the Journey of Archetypal Pattern Analysis.
- Hearing the Call To Transformation The individual
is embedded in an ordinary world which is usually static but unstable
and is called into a ‘special world’. The call itself establishes
the goal of the special world.
- Wrestling With the Call and Accepting or Refusing The
journeyer grapples with the call and their own openness to change. There
are individuals who jump at the call and there are those who are more
reluctant and sense the Guardians of The Threshold.
- Crossing The First Threshold This is a commitment
to go forward and enter the special world. One agrees to really face
the problem inherent in your specific call. This stage includes a decision
that the truth of your own being is more important than aligning with
your ego's idea of life. This inspires a stronger, deeper commitment
to the journey.
- Allowing Oneself to be Mentored The energy of the
mentor’s wisdom is called forth from crossing the first threshold.
It becomes a patterning force that carries one through the journey.
This unfolds into a deep vulnerability and allowing oneself to be known.
- Facing Tests, Obstacles, Allies and Enemies, Both Inner And
Outer There is an encountering of new challenges, tests and
learning the rules of the special world. You encounter the limitations
of your own persona and shadow and cultural and family imprinting.
- Surrender and Commitment There is a deepening into
a commitment to going forward, realizing you cannot go back.
- Wrestling Here a series of obstacles and challenges
surface, and the individual is asked to face deep fears and defenses.
It is an experience of finding your way through the eye of the needle.
This is done to strengthen the individual in preparation for the final
ordeal ahead.
- Surrender & Receiving Gifts A new level of commitment
to the journey is attained as the Journeyer is poised on the crest of
facing the great challenge of the final ordeal. This Stage includes
commitment to the Self in the face of de-embedding from one’s
old system. Gifts are given to be able to continue the journey, such
as insight into limitations, complexes, and blocks to an open system.
There is also optimism, excitement and magic as one experiences Archetypal
Pattern Analysis succeeding and the awe of the psyche’s power,
knowledge and guidance.
- Final Ordeal Contacting the Self releases large
obstructing forces. Deep patterns surface, followed by claustrophobic
fears and attempts to evacuate anxiety. The birthing process of the
final ordeal comes in many forms, such as facing death, a personal sacrifice,
horrendous villains, a crisis of the heart, individuation, finding one’s
authority and facing one’s greatest fears.
- Returning with the Gift and Sharing The transformed
individual integrates the experience of the final ordeal and the mentoring
force and is now able to gift their community with this integration.
Their life is now naviagated by their soul's purpose.
Integral Psychology fits none of the existing four forces of psychology (behavioristic, psychoanalytic, humanistic, or transpersonal). The claim of integral psychology is that it "transcends and includes" those four forces. Therefore, we are calling the therapy that comes from Integral Psychology a "Wholistic Therapy".
Integral Therapy is based on the theories of Ken Wilber. It builds on all therapies, believing them all to be accurate, with each therapy addressing the problems of different levels of consciousness on it's own evolutionary journey. It uses Spiral Dynamics to help understand these different levels of our development and the passages that must be navigated between them.
Integral Psychology says that humanity's deepest drive is to actualize the entire 9 stages of development through the vehicle of one's own being so that one becomes a vehicle of Spirit shining radiantly into the world as the entire world."
"An Integral Therapist works with the body, the shadow,
the persona, the ego, the existential self, the soul and spirit, attempting
to bring awareness to all of them. A full-spectrum therapist maintains
an Integral practice of their own -- exercising body, mind, soul and spirit
in self, culture and nature."
- Ken Wilber
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